Field
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to an apparatus and a method for estimating, when an abnormality has occurred in a printer, a cause of the abnormality, and a computer-readable storage medium for storing a program for executing the method.
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, apparatuses, for example a printer, which realize image quality of the same level as a printing machine have been introduced to the market along with improvement in performance of electrophotographic apparatuses. It is necessary for such apparatuses to maintain high image quality to operate similarly as the printing machine. However, if a printer is used over a long period of time, deterioration of the printer may occur, and an abnormality with respect to the image quality may occur in an image output from the printer. In general, if an “abnormal image” is generated due to such deterioration, a user who has viewed the image and noticed the abnormality contacts a service person. The service person then visits an installation location of the printer and performs measures. In such a case, it is difficult for the user to express in words a state of the abnormal image caused by the deterioration and the like. For example, if there is “unevenness”, the cause thereof cannot be identified unless detailed information, such as a direction, frequency, and a cycle, in which the unevenness occurs is recognized. Consequently, when the user has pointed out the image abnormality, it is necessary for the service person to visit the installation location of the printer and directly confirm the abnormality of the image quality. The service person then predicts an abnormality location based on the confirmed abnormality and identifies service parts related thereto. The service person once returns to a service base and obtains the service parts, returns to the installation location, and performs the measures. When the service person performs as described above, travelling costs of the service person becomes high. Further, since the printer cannot be used until the service person completes performing the measures, downtime occurs so that productivity of the user is greatly lowered.
To solve such an issue, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-22232 discusses a technique in which the image is output from the printer to obtain a scanned image of the output image, and the abnormality is detected. Identification of the “abnormal image” is thus simplified.
However, according to the technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-22232, if there is a cause for generating the abnormal image when the scanned image is obtained, an image abnormality may be superimposed on the image abnormality which has originally occurred. As a result, it may prevent detection of the original image abnormality which has occurred in the printed image. For example, an image reading apparatus for a digital copying machine fixes the position of an optical system and reads the image while an auto document feeder (ADF) conveys a document (a document feeding-reading method).
In such a case, since the position of the reading optical system is fixed, if dust or dirt adheres at a document read position, or the document read position becomes scratched or smudged, the image reading apparatus continues reading, for example, the dust. As a result, a linear streak may be generated in the read image. Further, smudge of a white plate or smudge of a mirror in a mirror unit may also be considered as the cause of the abnormality.
If the abnormality occurs in the reading system when the scanned image is obtained as described above, it becomes difficult to separate the cause of the original image abnormality in the print image and the cause of the abnormal image generated when the image is scanned. Further, accuracy of detecting the original image abnormality may become lowered.